That’s a lot of allotment

Sarah Devine

Changes to the way allotments are ruled have been discussed by councillors.

The changes fall under part nine of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 and are aimed simplifying and updating legislation on allotments.

Allotments at Wilton in Hawick.

The Act will see allotment sizes standardised to 250 square metres however, applicants will be required to state if they are willing to accept a smaller allocation in order to speed along the application process.

Members of Scottish Borders Council’s Teviot and Liddesdale area forum were presented with proposals at a meeting on Tuesday, December 13.

Scottish Borders Council communities and partnership manager, Shona Smith, said: “The changes now set out a standard size of allotments to 250 square metres. This is quite a big allotment and at the moment we’ve got 82 allotments that are owned by the council so we will first have to look at the demand for it.”

Ms Smith told the meeting that Scottish Borders Council is trying to encourage people to take up allotments however, there is little interest.

The council currently has allotment sites at Guthrie Drive and Wilton Park Road as well as another three in Peebles and one in Innerleithen.

Hawick and Denholm councillor Stuart Marshall expressed concerns over the proposed size of plots commenting that it could be too big for some people.

He also said: “Some of the issues I have with the allotments is that some of the people that have got them just sit on them and do nothing.

“Most people take a lot of pride in their allotments and, where they are well looked after and maintained, then those people that are doing so deserve much credit.

“However, the issue that I do take with allotments is that some people rent them just because it doesn’t cost a lot and they tend to never use them.”

The cost of renting an allotment is currently £40 a year and the current waiting list is up to three years.

Ms Smith responded: “We will get a sense over the first year on what the demand is, where people really want one and also the accessibility issue.